Dive Brief:
- Slack is integrating a "conversational AI experience" that lets users automate and customize work processes, the company said Thursday.
- Slack GPT will include native AI capabilities aimed at specific work functions, such as sales, marketing and IT. Other features, including the ChatGPT app for Slack, are available under beta or will launch this summer.
- The new capabilities will let customers build no-code workflows that embed AI actions with simple prompts, according to Ali Rayl, SVP of product at Slack.
Dive Insight:
The list of providers integrating AI functions into existing products is long and expanding. Slack joins companies such as Zoom, Atlassian, Stack Overflow and the three largest hyperscalers. Microsoft and Google also equipped their efficiency suites with generative AI capabilities.
In March, Slack introduced a ChatGPT app, available to users in beta. But today's announcement brings generative AI closer to how users interact with Slack, according to Rayl.
"What we're talking about going forward is the native integrations with different Slack product surfaces," Rayl said. This includes channel summaries, huddle transcripts, a text creation tool called Canvas and no-code creation of workflows.
Slack GPT will let users integrate a language model of choice, such as OpenAI's GPT, Anthropic's Claude "or, in the future, Salesforce's proprietary LLM," Rayl said.
As part of the Slack GPT experience, users will have access to Einstein GPT app for Slack, a conversational interface to connect the collaboration platform with Salesforce's Customer 360 system.
The new features will allow users to customize the generative AI tool kit for specific functions. Workers in customer service will get access to AI-generated solutions and responses, for example. They will also be able to auto-generate case summaries to share in channels and canvases.
Developers and IT workers using the features could automatically scan channel activities and summarize root cause analysis to improve incident management.
Despite broad interest surrounding generative AI, questions remain related to data privacy as the success of the systems hinges on the data they ingest.
In an emailed statement, Slack said all apps in its directory undergo a thorough review before public distribution.
"Slack GPT is powered by Slack’s secure platform, which offers a variety of settings and controls so that our customers can make right decisions for their own security and compliance needs," the company said in an emailed statement. "This includes allowing admins to implement an app approval process so no app can be installed without their permission."
